Month long series on structured legal fees

This month on Speaking of Settlements, I will be doing a review of each of the life insurance companies that underwrite or offer structured legal fees, or structured attorney fees. The review will cover the following life insurance markets:

• American General
• Symetra Life
• Liberty Life
• New York Life
• Prudential Insurance
• Met Life
• Pacific Life
• John Hancock
• Allstate Financial

As most structured settlement brokers or planners know, each company has it's own unique underwriting standards, types of business they write, beneficiary options, etc. It is important for lawyers, tax planners and others to be aware that not all legal fee structures are created equal and that the selection of working with a qualified structured settlement expert is essential.

This is a short edition of Speaking of Settlements, primarily to let people know to watch for our month long series on structured legal fees. This is crucial information heading into tax season and particularly as trial lawyers work to rebuild depleted or decimated retirement programs.

Comments

[Jack]

So how many fee structures are actually done each year? I remember a Hartford study that said only about 300 million a year were done. Why don't we do more as an industry?

[The Settlement Channel]

Jack,

As part of this series I am doing a survey of the life markets as to the percentage of their cases that are structured legal fees, which I presume they do break out from other production. I have to tell you that a few have been less then cooperative in this series in providing even the most basic company information, which blows my mind. Why wouldn't you want an accurate, up to date discussion of your product that costs you nothing then a few minutes of time to participate in. I'll try to get to the bottom of this question for you.

Mark W